Folding seat for automobiles.



P'ATENTED MAY 28, 1907.

J. M. NOLAN. FOLDING SEAT FOR AUTOMOBILES.

' APPLICATION FILED DBO. 20. 1906.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES M. NOLAN, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO WILLIAM H. WILSON AND ONE NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

-THIRD TO CHARLES RASMUSSEN, OF

FOLDING SEAT FOR AUTOMOBILES.

To all whom it may concern:

- Be it known that I, JAMEs M. NOLAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Folding Seats for Automobiles; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in-

Figure 1 a broken sectional view of a vehicle showing two of my improved seats arranged therein, one being in position for use and one being folded. Fig. 2 an underside V plan view of the seat and supporting arm therefor. Fig. 3 a side view of the seat in open position. folded position and shown in connection with the supporting arm and socket therefor.

This invention relates to an improvement in folding seats for automobiles, that is, seats arranged between the permanent back. and front seats which may be turned down for'use or folded against the side of the vehicle when not required, the object of the invention being a simple arrangement which permits of the seat being folded into small compass and readily brought into position for use; and the invention consists in the construction as hereinafter described and particularly recited in the claims.

In carrying out my invention the seat comprises a bottom 2, front posts 3, 4, and rear posts 5, 6, all fixed to the bottom and projecting upward therefrom. Hinged to the tops of the front posts 3, 4, are braces 7, 8, extending downward from the side arms 9, 10, while hinged to the rear posts 5, 6, are braces 11 and 12 which extend downward from a back 13 which is curved so that its ends meet the ends of the arms 9 and 10. Preferably plates 14- will be secured to each end of the back piece, these plates projecting beyond the ends of the back piece and provided with slots 15 to receive turn-buttons 16 attached to the ends of the arms 9, 10 so that the back and arms may be locked together. To the bottom of this seat is attached a circular metal plate or ring 17 which rests upon a Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 20, 1906- Serial No. 348,665.

receive a nut 21.

Fig. 4 a view of the seat in a Patented May 28, 1907,

spider 18 secured to the outer end of a supporting arm 19, a bolt 20 secured to the bottom of the seat passing through the spider so as to. swivel the seat thereon. The outer end of the arm 19 is longitudinally and transversely bowed and terminates in a bearing stem 19 which is threaded at its outer end to On theunderside of the arm near the stem end is an outwardly extending lug 22. socket 23 in which it is held by the nut 21 against longitudinal movement but free to turn therein. One of these sockets is secured to either side of the vehicle forwardof the rear seat. When in position for use the lug 22 bears against a shoulder24 on the socket 23 and the parts are in such relation that when the In is at a bearing the seat will be in a horizonta position.

, When the seat is in a horizontal position and the back and arms raised and interlocked, the seat is in condition for use and may be turned to face in any desired direction. When not required for use the buttons 16 are turned to disengage the arms from the back and permit the arms 9 and 10 to be folded inward, as shown at the left in Fig. 1. and as in Fig. 4. The back is then folded forward over the arms and the seat turned upward, the stem 19 turning in its socket permitting such movement and owing to the compound curvature of the arm 19 the seat will be turned upward againstthe sides of the body into comparatively small space. ..a.-

The stem 19 is inserted into a In the drawings the seat is shown in skele- 7 ton form, but it will be understood, of course, that it may be upholstered to correspond with the upholstering of the seats of the vehicle.

I claim 1. The combination with a seat having front posts and rear posts extending upward therefrom, of. arms having braces hinged to the upper ends of the front posts, a back having braces hinged to the rear posts, said arms extending rearward and engaged with the ends of the back and a plate secured to the underside of said seat, a spider on which the plate is swiveled, said spider formed at the outer end of a compound curved arm said arm terminating in a stem, and means for supporting the said stem and holding it against rotation in one direction, but permitting it to be turned in the opposite direction, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a seat having front posts and rear posts extending upward therefrom, of arms having braces hinged to the upper ends of the forward posts, a backhaving braces hinged to the rear posts, said arms extending rearward and engaged with the ends of the back, a plate secured to the underside of said seat, a spider on which the plate is swiveled, said spider formed at the outer end of a compound curved arm said arm terminating in a stem, and a socket for supporting said arm but permitting it to be turned therein, said arm formed with a lug adjacent to and adapted to bear against said socket to prevent the rotation of the stem in one direction, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES M. NOLAN. .Witnesses FRED. C. EARLE, CLARA L. WEED. 

